The under structure now behaves as a single mass. It needs a bit of extra support and I need to provide a system to attach the legs to the table top. I can accomplish both with the addition of these two pieces of wood.

I am going to use a router with a collar to blast out the channel for the cross pieces. The collar rides in the rectangular cut out below.

I trim and then drill the cross pieces on the drill press. I make some of the holes oversized to allow the table top to expand and contract. You cant stop wood from moving so I must allow for it.

The under structure is attached to the table top. I have added the two additional curves in the front of the photo. They allow me to add extra support to the legs. As a bonus I like the way they add to the composition.

I flip the table over and I can now concentrate on composing the top of the table.

I use a router to rough out the facets on the table top. Then I use hand tools to clean them up.

I sand the table top with a power sander.

I follow that up with a thorough hand sanding.

The under structure gets treated to the same hand sanding. There is nothing left to do but put on the finish! Well there is one more thing to do…

Sign the piece!

Coffee Table Commission
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10

By Nico Yektai -
New York based designer/maker Nico Yektai opened the doors to his Hamptons studio in 1995 after completing the MFA program at the School For American Craft at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The rigorous technical training complimented his background in Art History, which he studied, at Hobart College in Geneva NY. Yektai has synthesized this background into a singular style that has gained him national attention. Visit nicoyektai.com for more information